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Cacao Powder Benefits: 5 Products We Love on September 30, 2023 at 6:00 pm Us Weekly
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What is it about chocolate that soothes the soul and delights the senses? Two words: cacao powder!
It’s no mystery that this ancient superfood is what gives chocolate its flavor — and what gives chocolate lovers their feelings of euphoria. Sourced naturally from the bean of the cacao tree, this power is both tasty and healing, loaded with natural benefits that have been lauded for centuries across the world.
So if you’re looking to boost your vitality and well-being, or are simply curious about all the health benefits cacao powder has to offer, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve rounded up five of the very best cacao powder products on the market. Read on to learn more!
Best Overall Cacao Powder: Earth Echo Foods Cacao Bliss
Best Cannabis Cacao Treat (Editor’s Choice): Flower Market Cacao Keto Bites
Best Cacao Supplement For Women: Organifi Cacao Harmony
Best For Hair, Skin and Nails: MindBodyGreen Beauty & Gut Collagen+ (Chocolate Flavor)
Best Tasting: Ancient Nutrition Ancient Elixirs Superfood Cocoa
What is Cacao Powder?
Cacao powder contains ground-up cacao beans that have been dried and de-shelled. Cacao beans grow on the Theobroma cacao tree, a native tropical species first domesticated by people in the Amazon jungle thousands of years ago.
Cacao powder is used for its all-natural chocolate flavoring in many recipes and dishes around the world. In its pure form, cacao powder does not contain any sugar or dairy, though these are often added to food and beverages for taste and enjoyment.
Cacao powder is considered a superfood because of natural phytochemicals present in the cacao bean that provide multiple health benefits.
Cacao Powder vs Cocoa Powder
Cacao powder and cocoa powder have a lot of similarities. Both have that signature chocolatey taste and both offer similar health benefits like antioxidant action. However, they’re not exactly the same thing. Here’s the main differences between the two:
Cacao powder: This is made from ground-up raw cacao beans that have not been roasted. Raw cacao powder has a more bitter, earthy taste.
Cocoa powder: This is made from roasted cacao beans, and then it is processed further at high temperatures. Its flavor is not as bitter as raw cacao, and sugar and dairy is often added to benefit taste.
Cacao Powder Health Benefits
As if its delicious taste isn’t enough, there are many well-studied health benefits of cacao. Here’s a quick overview of the most prominent benefits of taking cacao powder that make it an even more enjoyable experience. It’s a win-win for your wellness and your taste buds.
Reduced inflammation and pain relief
Cacao has documented anti-inflammatory effects, which can potentially help with things like pain relief and chronic illness. According to this study, it’s the powerful phytochemicals– known as polyphenols– present naturally in pure cacao powder that exert potent anti-inflammatory action.
Powerful antioxidant properties
In addition to its anti-inflammatory properties, cacao is a powerful antioxidant, meaning it protects cells from free radicals. A veritable library of dietary research concludes that eating more antioxidant-rich foods may help prevent diseases such as cancer.
Heart health benefits
Flavanols naturally present in the cacao bean help improve blood flow, blood pressure levels, and blood sugar control. It’s therefore no surprise that this study concludes that cacao consumption is linked to a lower risk for both diabetes and stroke.
Weight management
Cacao contains fiber and naturally helps regulate blood sugar. It also has a rich taste and satiating effect that can help control sugar cravings. Various studies on the inner workings of cacao’s molecular components indicate that cacao may help boost metabolism and even prevent obesity and obesity-related heart disease.
Improved gut health
A healthy immune system requires a healthy gut, and a healthy gut means a healthy metabolism. The key to improving your gut health is to increase the good bacteria in your gut’s microbiome, while decreasing the harmful bacteria that, when left unchecked, can lead to many problems. Luckily, polyphenols in cacao are actually considered prebiotics, which feeds the good bacteria. This makes pure cacao powder a great addition to any wellness stack for gut health.
Boost brain power
In addition to its positive effects on the body, evidence suggests that cacao is a robust nootropic, meaning it can help improve cognitive function. Cacao has also been proven to have neuroprotective properties, making it an excellent supplement for overall brain health.
Best Cacao & Cocoa Powders in 2023
1. Best Overall Cacao Powder: Earth Echo Foods Cacao Bliss
This is one of the healthiest, tastiest, cleanest cacao powder for all situations. It’s USDA-certified organic, with a taste that knocks the socks off chocolate lovers. It’s also loaded with other superfoods that contribute both to the effect and taste, like organic coconut nectar powder and organic cinnamon, just to name a couple.
Earth Echo Foods uses ceremonial-grade cacao, chosen for its potency and healthy effects. Expect to sleep great when you take it at night and feel full and energized when you mix Cacao Bliss with your coffee.
What customers love:
Most verified reviewers use Cacao Bliss in the morning in their coffee. Because it’s both tasty and satiating, many people are able to kick their cravings while getting their chocolate fix at the same time.
Pros:
Free shipping on orders over a certain amount
USDA certified organic
Formulated with 10 superfoods
Non-GMO ingredients
Specs:
Size: 8.34 ounces/container
Serving Size: 1 scoop (7.88 grams)/serving
How to use: Add powder to hot drinks, baked goods, smoothies, and milks. Blend well.
2. Best Cannabis Cacao Treat (Editor’s Choice): Flower Market Cacao Keto Bites
Why we love it:
Say hello to the keto cannabis brownie of your dreams! Wellness and a lifted spirit are just a couple bites away with this guilt-free treat. On its own, high-quality cacao powder has been known to relax the body and mind. Add in CBD and THC, you’ve got a whole new level of chill.
The Flower Market Cacao Keto Bites get delivered directly to your door to help you satisfy your sweet tooth with healthy cannabis treats. Just one or two bites is enough to quench your chocolate cravings and feel amazing after the fact.
It’s recommended to start with one-half or one bite. Wait two whole hours before increasing your dosage to see what the effect is. From there, all you have to do is enjoy.
What customers love:
You can bring on the good vibes day or night with these cannabis-infused cacao bites. People dig the 1:1 CBD to THC ratio. At 5mg of each in every serving, it’s just the right amount of lift, packed in deliciousness.
Pros:
Contains CBD and THC
Vegan and gluten-free
Low in sugar
Delicious flavor
Specs:
Size: 20 bites/container
Serving Size: 1 bite/serving
How to use: Eat one keto bite to get started and wait a couple hours for effects.
3. Best Cacao Supplement For Women: Organifi Cacao Harmony
Periods and chocolate cravings go hand in hand. Organifi Cacao Harmony can give you a healthy serving of the chocolate you crave with a mix of adaptogenic ingredients to relieve PMS.
This USDA-certified organic blend of cacao powder and other natural healers has been heavily researched to support menstrual health and hormonal balance. Adaptogens like maca and cacao are natural foods that organically address what the body and mind need.
So if your system needs rest, energy, or pain relief, for example, these ingredients will support what’s needed in the moment.
What customers love:
The immaculate online product reviews from women on the topic say it works and importantly, tastes great.
People love this healthy cacao powder with organic ingredients to support hormone balance and ease menstruation discomfort.
Organifi’s organic cacao powder is extremely well-reviewed for its soothing effects on period discomfort. The taste is also on-point to satisfy strong chocolate cravings.
Pros:
USDA-certified organic
Non-GMO and gluten-free ingredients
Zero-sugar formula
Provides PMS relief
Specs:
Size: 9.5 ounces (270 grams)/container
Serving size: 1 scoop (9 grams)/serving
How to use: Add a scoop to coffee, plant-based milk or your favorite smoothie and enjoy.
4. Best For Hair, Skin and Nails: MindBodyGreen Beauty & Gut Collagen+ (Chocolate Flavor)
MindBodyGreen’s collagen peptide powder is the best way to support your healthy beauty, while delivering your chocolate fix without the guilt.
Collagen powder is the hot-ticket supplement for anyone who wants better skin, hair, and nails. Collagen peptides also offer benefits to gut health by way of helping heal the digestive system’s natural rhythms.
MindBodyGreen combines the beauty-boosting benefits of collagen with other anti-aging ingredients like hyaluronic acid. The chocolate version with cacao provides the veritable icing on the cake, perfect for morning energy.
What customers love:
The expert-blended ingredients in this supplement powder support faster growing nails, stronger hair, and better skin hydration. While people speak to a ton of different effects, the common theme is better overall well-being from verified testimonials.
Pros:
Non-GMO ingredients
30-day money back guarantee
Expert-reviewed
Dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, and sugar-free
Specs:
Size: 13.9 ounces/container
Serving Size: 1 scoop (19.7 grams)/serving
How to use: Add one scoop to your smoothie or coffee or shake well in nut milk.
5. Best Tasting: Ancient Nutrition Ancient Elixirs Superfood Cocoa
All the cacao on our list offers great taste, but for the richest, most enjoyable flavor, Ancient Nutrition has the golden ticket.
Cacao is delicious, but this healthy blend is divine. Ancient Nutrition does a stellar job loading their superfood cocoa powder with powerful ingredients for wellness, while excelling in the taste department.
This supplement powder not only tastes out of this world, it’s one of the more versatile options we came across. Add it to hot or cold beverages, coffee (the most common), or any baking recipe where you’d normally use chocolate.
Whether it’s energy, relaxation, immunity, or just a delicious moment you want to yourself, this cocoa powder delivers the full package.
What customers love:
Across the board, users hail this as the healthy, delicious treat that jumpstarts their day. Enjoy a little self-care with just one scoop for all-day wellness.
Pros:
Keto-friendly
30-day money back guarantee
Organic ingredients
Formulate for stress relief and increased focus
Specs:
Size: 8.4 ounces/container
Serving Size: 1 scoop (11.9 grams)/serving
How to use: Add one scoop to coffee, smoothie, and your favorite baking recipes.
How to Prepare Cacao or Cocoa Powder
Great news! Both cacao and cocoa powder are highly versatile. You can add a tablespoon or more to your baking recipes for a rich, chocolate flavor.
Another popular usage for cacao powder and cocoa powder is in smoothies. Simply add a heaping tablespoon of cacao or cocoa powder into your blender with a banana, a cup of nut milk, some ice, and a tablespoon of your favorite natural sweetener. Blend and enjoy the chocolatey goodness.
Finally, here’s a foolproof way to make healthy hot chocolate that will delight your palate and soothe your cravings:
Healthy Hot Chocolate
Prepare about 1 cup of hot water
Place 1 tablespoon cacao or cocoa powder in a mug
Add a dash of cinnamon and a dash of salt
Pour in about 3/4 cup hot water and whisk
Add 1 tablespoon of your favorite natural sweetener like Stevia or honey
Stir
Add the desired amount of your favorite plant-based milk and stir again
Sip and enjoy!
FAQs:
What are cacao nibs?
Before a cacao bean can become cacao powder, it is first dried and fermented. Cacao nibs are little pieces of dried, fermented cacao beans. Cacao nibs are also considered a raw food, as they come from beans that have not been roasted.
Are there risks to taking cacao powder?
Cacao powder contains a very small amount of caffeine, around 2% or less of what coffee provides. Unless you are super sensitive to caffeine, you should not experience side effects from cacao powder. In fact, many people use it for an energy boost or to get off their coffee kick.
Cacao: Nature’s best combo of flavor and health
Chocolate lovers rejoice in the experience of deep, delicious flavor. With cacao powder, junkies everywhere get the magical flavor of chocolate with the wide health benefits of the cacao bean. It’s anti-inflammatory, brain-protecting, energy-boosting love in every serving.
So grab your cacao powder and make that smoothie or hot chocolate for some delectable self-love.
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Branded content. Us Weekly has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. What is it about chocolate that soothes the soul and delights the senses? Two words: cacao powder! It’s no mystery that this ancient superfood is what gives chocolate its flavor — and what gives chocolate lovers
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AfriqueFest: Pan-African Musical Experience — World Cup Edition is set to take over Noto Houston on Sunday, June 28, bringing together East, South, and West African sounds in one immersive celebration of music, culture, and connection. Presented by Experience Noir and Bolanle Media, the event is designed as a cinematic night for the culture, blending global energy with Houston nightlife in a way that feels elevated, intentional, and deeply rooted in African creativity.
Spotlight on DJ Shinski
At the heart of this year’s experience is DJ Shinski. Born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya and now based in Houston, DJ Shinski has built an international name off high-energy sets that move effortlessly across Afrobeats, Amapiano, hip‑hop, dancehall, reggae, and electronic sounds.
He has also become Africa’s most‑subscribed DJ on YouTube, crossing the 2‑million‑subscriber mark and turning his mixes into a global destination for music lovers.
DJ Shinski’s style is precise but unpredictable: one moment it’s classic Afrobeats, the next it’s East African anthems, then a run of throwback hip‑hop or R&B that still feels fresh. That ability to read a room and connect multiple worlds in a single set is exactly why AfriqueFest is building so much of the night’s energy around him.
At AfriqueFest, DJ Shinski helps drive the Safari Grooves segment, representing East and Central Africa from 4 PM to 6 PM. Expect a journey that moves from Nairobi to Dar es Salaam, Kampala, Addis, and beyond, all filtered through his signature “vibes on vibes” approach behind the decks.
DJ Tunez and the rest of the night
Supporting that energy, DJ Tunez leads the Gold Coast Beats chapter from 8 PM to 10 PM, bringing his own Nigerian‑American Afrobeats pedigree to the stage. Together with the Diamond Rhythms segment (South) and a curated roster of DJs, the night stretches across the continent in three distinct musical chapters, all connected by a single dance floor.
Hosted by @chris_gone_crazy, @kingdrewwskyy, @roselynomaka, and @samsnewleaf, AfriqueFest is positioned as more than a party—it’s a celebration of sound, style, and Pan‑African identity in Houston, with DJ Shinski anchoring the experience from the moment doors open.
Brought to you by Bolanle Media & Experience Noir
Brought to you by Bolanle Media and Experience Noir, this World Cup edition of AfriqueFest is crafted as a night where global DJs, storytellers, and music lovers collide and create a shared cultural memory. With DJ Shinski front and center—and DJ Tunez helping close the night—guests can expect a show that reflects both the future of African nightlife and the power of the diaspora to create unforgettable live moments.
If you want to experience DJ Shinski live at AfriqueFest, now is the time to lock in your spot. Purchase your tickets now at AfriqueFest.com and get ready for a night of music, movement, and culture at Noto Houston.
Laughter Meets Inspiration: Our Ladies Show Lands on The Roku Channel
A bold new sketch comedy series for women premieres June 13 across the U.S., U.K., and Canada — arriving on the back of a festival-winning run that has critics and audiences already paying attention.
It isn’t every day a brand-new comedy arrives already wearing a row of trophies. Our Ladies Show does. The seven-episode inspirational sketch comedy series — created, written by, and starring Christin Jezak — begins streaming on The Roku Channel on Friday, June 13, 2026, available free to viewers in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada.
Produced in partnership with global media services leader Encompass Digital Media, the series sets out to do something rare in today’s streaming landscape: make women laugh out loud and leave them lifted. In a media moment crowded with noise and cynicism, Our Ladies Show is a deliberate counterweight — comedy with a conscience, built for women of every age and background.
A Show Built Around Real Life — and Real Laughs
Each of the seven episodes opens with a monologue from one of the cast members introducing the theme, then rolls into three or more sketches that hit the subject from every comedic angle. The series tackles the things women actually carry: holding grudges, comparison, beauty, patience, gift giving, the importance of community, and dealing with anxiety.
The comedy comes from a place of warmth rather than mockery — a “laugh at ourselves” spirit that runs through a gallery of unforgettable characters: a nosey neighbor, an overwhelmed mom, relentlessly optimistic flight attendants, beauty pageant winners past their prime, and a crew of unruly campers with a counselor who simply cannot hold it together.
Then the show does something most sketch series don’t. In the final segment of every episode, the cast gathers in a living-room setting and invites the audience in — sharing real inspiration drawn from the theme, the sketches, and their own personal stories. It’s the moment the laughter turns into something that stays with you.
The Women Behind the Show
Our Ladies Show brings together three performers with serious range:
- Christin Jezak — creator, writer, and star (Miracle at Manchester, Raising Hope, Jimmy Kimmel Live!)
- Hillary Hawkins — (Primal, Nick Jr.’s Play Along, Gullah Gullah Island)
- Sarah Hernandez — (Nefarious, Unplanned, House of Payne)
“In a world with so much division and depression, I hope women of all ages and backgrounds will watch this show, laugh, be reminded of how beautiful, unique, and loved they are, and remember how much we need each other.”— Christin Jezak, Creator & Star
Already a Festival Favorite
The series’ recurring long-form sketch, Neighborhood Watch, didn’t arrive quietly. Originally released as a web series and revamped for Our Ladies Show with new footage, sound, and music, it has been sweeping the festival circuit:
- 🏆 Best Webseries — 2026 New Media Film Festival (Los Angeles)
- 🏆 Best Web/TV Series — Paris Film Awards
- 🏆 Best Web Series — Dallas Movie Awards
- 🏅 Additional wins at the London Movie Awards, Florence Film Awards, and Hollywood Gold Awards
- 🎬 Official Selection — 2026 Harvard Divinity School Film Fest
- ⭐ Finalist — Houston Comedy Film Festival
- 📣 Three nominations — 2025 Content Christian Media Conference, including Best Actress in a TV and Web Series nods for both Christin Jezak and Sarah Hernandez
Where and When to Watch
Our Ladies Show premieres Friday, June 13, 2026, streaming on The Roku Channel — the home of premium and free entertainment — in the U.S., U.K., and Canada. All seven episodes deliver the series’ signature blend of sharp sketch comedy and genuine encouragement.
Watch the trailer now on your platform of choice:
For more information, visit www.ourladiesshow.com and follow @ourladiesshow on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
About Christin Jezak
Christin Jezak has worked for over 15 years in the entertainment industry. She created and stars in Our Ladies Show and the award-winning web series Neighborhood Watch. She produced the EWTN TV program For the Sake of the Gospel and the all-women web series Ladies Keepin’ It Real, played Dr. Sam in Miracle at Manchester (starring Dean Cain, Daniel Roebuck, and Eddie McClintock), and voices Agnes in the podcast Confessions of a Catholic Single. She held a lead role in a short film for NTT Data directed by Academy Award–winning cinematographer Janusz Kamiński, has co-starred on Raising Hope, and appeared in Jimmy Kimmel sketches and a Grubhub Super Bowl commercial.
About The Roku Channel
Roku pioneered streaming on TV and is the #1 TV streaming platform in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico by hours streamed (Hypothesis Group, Dec. 2025). The Roku Channel is the home of premium and free entertainment, alongside Roku’s Howdy and Frndly TV services. Roku is headquartered in San Jose, California.
About Encompass Digital Media
Encompass Digital Media is a global managed services company — technology-driven, software-defined, and people-powered. Trusted by world-leading broadcasters, networks, sports rights-holders, and OTT platforms, it processes over 25,000 hours of content daily, serves 850 channels to 84 countries, distributes over 243,000 live events annually, and reaches 400 million radio listeners weekly worldwide. Learn more at www.encompass.tv.
Media & Interview Requests: To interview creator Christin Jezak or the cast, contact Christin at cjezak@p2ptheatre.com.
Most of the talk about Euphoria asks one question: was it realistic? That’s the wrong question if you make films. The better one is simpler. How did Sam Levinson get an audience to feel addiction from the inside? And what did it cost him to end the show the way he did?
Strip away the noise and Euphoria is a clinic in three choices: point of view, style, and the ending. Here’s what’s worth taking — and what isn’t.
1. Put the Camera Inside the Character
Most shows about drugs watch from across the room. Euphoria doesn’t. When Rue is high, the camera is high too. Walls breathe. Floors tilt. Time skips. You’re not watching her — you’re stuck inside her head.
That’s the lesson: point of view is a decision you make with the camera and the cut, not a mood you add later in color. Levinson builds it into the lens, the blocking, and the edit.
So before you shoot a scene through a character’s eyes, ask one thing on set: whose eyes is this lens standing in for? Then make every cut respect that.
2. Your Style Has to Mean Something
The glitter. The slow push-ins. The impossible club lighting. Euphoria‘s look got copied everywhere. That’s the trap.
The style worked because it carried weight. The beauty wasn’t decoration — it was the lie addiction tells you, the reason the next high looks worth it. The camera made self-destruction gorgeous on purpose.
The copies missed that. A thousand music videos took the look and left the meaning behind, and you can feel how hollow they are. So here’s the test: if your signature style could be swapped onto any other project and still “work,” it’s not a style. It’s a filter. Every choice should have a reason behind it.
3. The Ending Tells the Audience What It All Meant
When Euphoria ended for good in Season 3, Levinson killed Rue — an accidental, fentanyl-laced overdose. He called it “the honest ending,” saying he wanted to tell a true story about addiction and grief in a time when one mistake can be the last one. Reportedly, that wasn’t the original plan; the death of Angus Cloud, who played Fezco, changed the script.
Forget whether you agree with the choice. Study how it works. An ending is the last instruction you give your audience about how to read everything before it.
By ending on consequence instead of recovery, Levinson reframed seven years of beautiful chaos as a story about cost — not a celebration of it.
It’s also the show’s most debatable move, and that’s worth noticing too. A show that spent years making pain look beautiful had to fight to make that pain land as loss. Did it earn the ending, or enjoy the wreckage too long to stick it? Smart filmmakers will disagree — and that argument is exactly what a good ending is supposed to start.
What Not to Take
The neon grief is the most copied part. It’s also the least useful. Take the surface — the colors, the slow-mo, the trauma-as-texture — and you get the costume without the body.
The real craft is underneath. Commit your camera to a real point of view. Make every stylistic choice earn its place. Treat your ending as the point of the whole thing. Do that, and your work won’t look like Euphoria. It’ll do what Euphoria did.
This piece touches on addiction and substance use. If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available through the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.
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